1 And as for myself, brethren, I found it impossible to speak to you as spiritual men. It had to be as to worldlings--mere babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food, since for this you were not yet strong enough. And even now you are not strong enough: 3 you are still unspiritual. For so long as jealousy and strife continue among you, can it be denied that you are unspiritual and are living and acting like mere men of the world? 4 For when some one says, "I belong to Paul," and another says, "I belong to Apollos," is not this the way men of the world speak? 5 What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are just God's servants, through whose efforts, and as the Lord granted power to each, you accepted the faith. 6 I planted and Apollos watered; but it was God who was, all the time, giving the increase. 7 So that neither the planter nor the waterer is of any importance. God who gives the increase is all in all. 8 Now in aim and purpose the planter and the waterer are one; and yet each will receive his own special reward, answering to his own special work. 9 Apollos and I are simply fellow workers for and with God, and you are *God's* field-- *God's* building. 10 In discharge of the task which God graciously entrusted to me, I--like a competent master-builder--have laid a foundation, and others are building upon it. But let every one be careful how and what he builds. 11 For no one can lay any other foundation in addition to that which is already laid, namely Jesus Christ. 12 And whether the building which any one is erecting on that foundation be of gold or silver or costly stones, of timber or hay or straw-- 13 the true character of each individual's work will become manifest. For the day of Christ will disclose it, because that day is soon to come upon us clothed in fire, and as for the quality of every one's work-- the fire is the thing which will test it. 14 If any one's work--the building which he has erected--stands the test, he will be rewarded. 15 If any one's work is burnt up, he will suffer the loss of it; yet he will himself be rescued, but only, as it were, by passing through the fire. 16 Do you not know that you are God's Sanctuary, and that the Spirit of God has His home within you? 17 If any one is marring the Sanctuary of God, him will God mar; for the Sanctuary of God is holy, which you all are. 18 Let no one deceive himself. If any man imagines that he is wise, compared with the rest of you, with the wisdom of the present age, let him become "foolish" so that he may be wise. 19 This world's wisdom is "foolishness" in God's sight; for it is written, "He snares the wise with their own cunning." 20 And again, "The Lord takes knowledge of the reasonings of the wise--how useless they are." 21 Therefore let no one boast about his human teachers. 22 For everything belongs to you--be it Paul or Apollos or Peter, the world or life or death, things present or future--everything belongs to you; 23 and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God. | |